Pablo Mastroeni believes there is still room for Real Salt Lake to grow but is looking to build on their win last time out against FC Dallas.
RSL earned their second win of the MLS season against Houston Dynamo last time out (2-1), having alternated between defeat and victory so far.
They sit ninth in the Western Conference as one of four teams on six points and are aiming to make it back-to-back wins while bouncing back from a disappointing last-gasp loss to San Diego FC in their last home match.
Mastroeni was buoyed by Real Salt Lake’s performance against Houston and is hopeful they can build on those positives back at America First Field Stadium.
“There’s going to be mistakes, but I’ve told the guys, the main thing is how we react to that,” he told KSL Sports.
“To be fair to them, they’ve been doing a good job at dealing with turnovers on defence, and we did a much better job of that at Houston.
“I want to see more control, and we’ve been working on that this week.”
We know them, they know us
Let’s get it #RSLvDAL | @EnglandLogistic
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) March 21, 2025
Meanwhile, Dallas are looking to win for the first time since the opening weekend, having gone winless in their last three outings.
They sit two places and two points below RSL in the table and will be without first-choice goalkeeper Maarten Paes, who is on international duty with Indonesia.
In his absence, homegrown Michael Collidi is set to make his competitive debut for Dallas.
“It will mean the world,” Collodi said. “It was always the dream to play with the first team and to finally make it here. I want to make the most of it and get a result for the boys.
“It’s kind of what I’ve been looking forward to since I joined [the academy], so I’m happy to be able to make it happen. From here, I’m going to keep pushing forward.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Real Salt Lake – Diogo Goncalves
Diogo Goncalves’ goal after 42 seconds against Houston on Saturday was the third-fastest goal from kick-off in Real Salt Lake’s MLS history.
It was his first goal in 2025 – only Javier Morales, who scored after 15 seconds in May 2014, and Corey Baird, who netted after 34 seconds in September 2019, have ever found the back of the net faster.
FC Dallas – Petar Musa
Dallas failed to register a shot on target in their defeat to Vancouver on Saturday, their first match without a shot on target since August 2022 against Nashville SC.
Dallas’ expected goals total of 0.24 was also their lowest since that August 2022 match, with Petar Musa’s strike contributing the most to that total (0.09 xG).
Focused on being road warriors. @TalentCorps | #DTID pic.twitter.com/grvOQAbD0d
— FC Dallas (@FCDallas) March 20, 2025
MATCH PREDICTION: REAL SALT LAKE WIN
The 14 regular-season meetings between Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas since the start of the 2018 season have been split, with each team winning four times and drawing six. Each side has three wins (D1) in seven meetings in Utah over that time.
Real Salt Lake have lost two of their first three home matches in all competitions in 2025 (W1) after losing only two of their final 17 at home in 2024 (W11 D4). RSL have not lost consecutive home matches in two years, since losing their first two home games of the 2023 season.
Dallas are unbeaten in their first two away matches of a season for the first time since 2020. They have avoided defeat in their first three road games of a season only twice before: four straight in 2017 and three straight in 2008.
Dallas are, however, without a win since the opening weekend of MLS this season, and have lost their last two outings on the bounce.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Real Salt Lake – 45.7%
Draw – 26.8%
FC Dallas – 27.5%
